Basic Biographical Details

Name: (Sir) Basil Urwin Spence
Designation: Architect
Born: 13 August 1907
Died: 19 November 1976
Bio Notes: Basil Urwin Spence was born in Bombay on 13 August 1907, the son of Urwin Spence, an analytical chemist employed by the Indian civil service, and his wife Daisy Crisp. He was initially educated at the John Connon School in Bombay, but in 1919 at the age of twelve he moved to Scotland and attended George Watson's College as a day pupil. After leaving, he enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art in September 1925, initially to study painting and sculpture. He soon transferred to the School of Architecture, studying design practice and town planning under Frank Charles Mears and Harry Hubbard, and architectural history and theory under John Summerson who was only three years his senior. His other tutors at the College were Sydney J Miller, Leslie Grahame Thomson and George Washington Browne. Bursaries, prize money and income as a freelance perspectivist allowed him to travel extensively in England in 1927, France in 1928 and also in Germany. In 1929 he gained the College's certificate and exemption from the RIBA's intermediate examination. His brilliant draughtsmanship secured him a place in the office of Sir Edwin Lutyens, whom he assisted with the designs for the Viceroy's house, New Delhi, and while in London he took the opportunity to study at the Bartlett School of Architecture under Professor Albert Richardson.

On his return to Edinburgh Spence won the RIAS Rowand Anderson Medal during session 1930-31. In the latter year he gained his diploma from the College of Art and won the RIBA's Silver Medal as the best architectural student in the UK.

At the College Spence made friends with William Kininmonth, who also went to Lutyens' office. Kininmonth had previously been employed by Rowand Anderson & Balfour Paul, but when he returned from London Paul was unable to offer further work. Nevertheless, Kininmonth was given the use of a room in the office at 16 Rutland Square, and although it had only a single desk and a telephone this allowed him to take Spence into partnership in 1932. Their practice was immediately successful, thanks in part to the connections of Kininmonth's radiologist brother and Kininmonth's own modernist house at 46A Dick Place (1933) which proved an excellent advertisement. As well as design work the partners also specialised in presentations for other much larger practices.

Spence won the RIBA Arthur Cates Prize for town planning in 1932, tying with Robert Matthew, and then the Pugin Studentship in 1933. He was admitted ARIBA that year, his proposers being John Begg, Reginald Fairlie and William James Walker Todd. Both he and Kininmonth secured part-time teaching posts at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1934 Spence married Mary Joan Ferris of Tiverton, Devon.

In that year Paul offered Kininmonth a partnership, which he felt he had to decline unless Spence was taken into partnership as well. Paul accepted this proposal and the Kininmonth & Spence practice was merged with Paul's as Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. Although business had significantly recovered, to the extent that the practice secured commissions for three country houses, Spence and Kininmonth continued teaching at Edinburgh College of Art. This arrangement continued until Paul died in June 1938.

Independently of the practice, Spence won the competition for the Scottish School of Art & Industry at Kilsyth, and received three separate commissions in respect of the Empire Exhibition held at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, in 1938. These included the highly acclaimed Scottish Pavilion which he designed in collaboration with the Exhibition's organiser, Thomas Tait.

Spence had joined the Territorial Army in 1934 and was commissioned in the Royal Artillery on the outbreak of the Second World War. He was seconded to the Camouflage Training & Development Unit at Farnham, and later served as an intelligence officer in Normandy. After demobilization and in the absence of substantial practice work he resumed teaching at Edinburgh College of Art, but in 1945 he was appointed chief architect of the Britain Can Make It exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

The partnership of Kininmonth & Spence having been dissolved, Basil Spence & Partners was established with Bruce Robertson in November 1946. Andrew Renton became a partner in 1949 when he took charge of the practice's first London office. Robertson left the practice in 1950 to practise independently, and John Hardie Glover and Peter Scott Ferguson were taken into partnership in 1951.

Spence's subsequent career was spectacular. He was elected FRIBA in 1947, his proposers being Thomas Tait, Joseph Emberton and F R S Yorke. He joined the Art Workers Guild in 1953. He leapt to prominence during the Festival of Britain in 1951 as chief architect for the Exhibition of Industrial Power in Glasgow and the designer of the Sea & Ships Pavilion, perhaps the best of all the displays on London's South Bank. In the same year he won the competition to design the new Coventry Cathedral, and he was subsequently responsible for ten parish churches. He built several schools both in Scotland and England. Although often criticised as a picturesque designer unconcerned by the dictates of structure, his nuclear physics building in Glasgow confirmed his mastery of complex technological briefs and led to some fifty university buildings in Scotland and England, including three major campuses at Nottingham, Southampton and Sussex. His remarkable versatility allowed him to turn his hand to major projects as diverse as the Hutchesontown C redevelopment in the Gorbals (1965) and Abbotsinch Airport (1966) in Glasgow, Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks in London (1970), and the Chancery of the British Embassy in Rome (1971).

By this date he was withdrawing from everyday involvement with the three architectural practices of which he was the head. Andrew Renton had left to practise independently in May 1961, with Spence continuing his own London ractice in the same office at Canonbury Place. In 1963 the London practice split: the Canonbury Place office was renamed Sir Basil Spence OM RA, with his son-in-law Anthony Blee as partner and his son John Urwin Spence as consultant; and a new office was opened at Fitzroy Square as Sir Basil Spence, Bonnington & Collins, John (Jack) Bonnington and Gordon Collins having been taken into partnership as based at Fitzroy Square. These changes having been made, at the beginning of 1964 the original practice at Moray Place, Edinburgh had become Sir Basil Spence, Glover & Ferguson. Jimmy Beveridge was taken into partnership in 1968; Andrew Merrylees in 1972; and John Legge in 1973.

Spence retired in 1972, although he continued to act as a consultant to the firm. In his last years he retreated to his holiday villas on Malta and Majorca, stung by a reaction against his work which was in sharp contrast to his previous popularity, but he nevertheless remained a prolific designer with a number of foreign commissions.

Basil Spence was blessed with great charm and remarkable powers of persuasion, and he did much - especially during his Presidency of the RIBA, 1958-60 - to engender public interest in modern architecture. He was the first Hoffman Wood Professor of Architecture at the University of Leeds, 1955-57, and Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy, 1961-68. He was elected a Royal Designer for Industry (Exhibitions and Interiors) in 1960, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art in 1962; he was also Treasurer of the Royal Academy, 1962-64, and a member of the Royal Fine Art Commission, 1956-70. Among many other distinctions from both home and abroad, he was appointed OBE in 1948, advanced to KBE (knighted) in 1960, and received the Order of Merit in 1962. He died at Yaxley Hall, near Eye, Suffolk, on 19 November 1976.


also TD, ARA and ARSA per Builder 1959

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 782, Thirlestane Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1933 *  
Item 2 of 716, Rutland Square, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1933After 1939 
Item 3 of 740, Moray Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/business19461976 
Item 4 of 729, Buckingham Street, London, EnglandPrivate1948 or 19491952 
Item 5 of 748, Queen Anne Street, London, EnglandPrivate19521961 
Item 6 of 71, Canonbury Place, London, EnglandBusiness19561976 
Item 7 of 71, Fitzroy Square, London, EnglandBusiness1961  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 6Edwin Landseer Lutyens1929   
Item 2 of 6Rowand Anderson & Paul19311934  
Item 3 of 6Kininmonth & SpenceOctober 1931 or 19321934PartnerClive Fenton states that the practice was established in 1931.
Item 4 of 6Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partners19351946Partner 
Item 5 of 6Basil Spence & Partners19461963Partner 
Item 6 of 6Sir Basil Spence, Glover & Ferguson19641972PartnerRetired in 1972, but continued to act as a consultant to the firm until his death in 1976.

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2Melville Crum Brownc. 1950 Assistant 
Item 2 of 2Ramsay Manners DewarBefore 1961After 1965 Working for one of Spence's London practices

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6John BeggMid 1933for Associateship
Item 2 of 6Joseph Emberton15 April 1947for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Reginald Francis Joseph FairlieMid 1933for Associateship
Item 4 of 6Thomas Smith Tait15 April 1947for Fellowship
Item 5 of 6William James Walker ToddMid 1933for Associateship
Item 6 of 6Francis Reginald Stevens Yorke15 April 1947for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This architect proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 11Alexander ('Sandy') MacCallum (or McCallum) Brown31 March 1953For Associateship
Item 2 of 11Peter Scott Ferguson4 October 1960for Fellowship
Item 3 of 11John Hardie GloverMid 1960 or late 1960for Fellowship
Item 4 of 11Alick Walter Gordon Inglis2 February 1960for Fellowship
Item 5 of 11William Archibald Park Jack29 November 1949for Associateship
Item 6 of 11William Archibald Park Jack8 December 1953For Fellowship
Item 7 of 11Henry Douglas Matthew8 July 1958For Fellowship
Item 8 of 11Barbara Joan Osmond (Mrs Boissevain)7 May 1946For Associateship
Item 9 of 11Andrew Renton4 October 1960for Fellowship
Item 10 of 11Stanley Patrick Ross-Smith14 December 1948for Associateship
Item 11 of 11Gordon Thomas Tait1948for Fellowship

Buildings and Designs

This architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 164 British Embassy  RomeItaly 
Item 2 of 164 Thorn House  LondonEngland 
Item 3 of 16419326 Castlelaw RoadColinton EdinburghScotland 
Item 4 of 1641932Housing estateDuns BerwickshireScotland 
Item 5 of 1641932Housing estate for Berwickshire County CouncilBurnmouth BerwickshireScotland 
Item 6 of 1641932Lismohr  EdinburghScotland 
Item 7 of 1641932Planning scheme for redevelopment of seafront, including fishermen's cottagesDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 8 of 16419334 Easter Belmont Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 9 of 164193346A Dick Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 10 of 1641933Council housesDunbar East LothianScotlandDesign of original scheme
Item 11 of 1641933Prestwick Municipal Buildings, pavilion and officesPrestwick AyrshireScotlandCompetition design - placed second
Item 12 of 164Before 1933GlenwoodGlenlockhart EdinburghScotland 
Item 13 of 1641933 or 1937Southern Motors Garage  EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 164193415 Braid Hills Avenue  EdinburghScotland 
Item 15 of 164193422 Frogston Road West  EdinburghScotland 
Item 16 of 164193440-42 Dick Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 17 of 16419346 Comiston Rise  EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 1641934Deaconess Hospital  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction, addition of a floor to the original block, and Lord Sands Memorial Wing
Item 19 of 1641934House for St Katherine'sLiberton EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 1641934Murrayfield Golf ClubhouseMurrayfield EdinburghScotlandConversion of clubhouse into dwelling house
Item 21 of 164193557 Oxgangs Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 22 of 1641935Broomhill House  Inverness-shireScotlandAddition
Item 23 of 1641935Building Exhibition, Waverley Market  EdinburghScotland 
Item 24 of 1641935Dunedin House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 25 of 1641935Housing, 12-30 Victoria StreetDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 26 of 1641935L'Aperitif Restaurant  EdinburghScotland 
Item 27 of 1641935Liberton HouseLiberton EdinburghScotlandRemoval of later additions and restoration
Item 28 of 1641935Ravleston Dykes Golf ClubhouseMurrayfield EdinburghScotlandConverted to dwellinghouse, retaining main club room
Item 29 of 1641935Timber HousesForth LanarkshireScotland 
Item 30 of 1641935Unidentified Church   Scotland 
Item 31 of 1641935Upton, 141 Corsebar RoadPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 32 of 164c. 1935Colonsay House, estate workers' housesKiloranColonsayArgyllScotland 
Item 33 of 1641936220 Braid Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 34 of 1641936Broughton Place, including summer house, tennis court, walled garden, gatepiers, and stableblock  PeeblesshireScotlandPrincipally the work of Spence
Item 35 of 1641936Edinburgh Sports Club  EdinburghScotlandOriginal design - amended design the following year.
Item 36 of 1641936Fettes CollegeComely Bank EdinburghScotlandInterior renovation
Item 37 of 1641936Fettes College, new hall and new chapel  EdinburghScotlandProposed new hall
Item 38 of 1641936Garth of FinlarigDulnain Bridge Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 39 of 1641936Glasgow Empire Exhibition, ICI pavilionBellahouston GlasgowScotlandMainly responsible for design
Item 40 of 1641936Glasgow Empire Exhibition, masterplanBellahouston GlasgowScotlandWorked with Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 41 of 1641936Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish PavilionBellahouston GlasgowScotlandMaiinly responsible for design
Item 42 of 1641936House for St Katherine'sLiberton EdinburghScotlandAdditions
Item 43 of 1641936Johannesburg Exhibition, Scottish Pavilion  JohannesburgSouth AfricaDesign principally by Spence
Item 44 of 1641936Scottish Every Day Art Exhibition  EdinburghScotlandDesign principally by Spence
Item 45 of 1641937Cleghorn Building  EdinburghScotlandCommission handled by Spence; Building completed to planned length with some detail alterations to existing building, modification of corner and third floor windows and omitting the high roof planned by Lochhead
Item 46 of 1641937Corstorphine Parish ChurchCorstorphine EdinburghScotlandAssisted Balfour Paul with restoration and alterations
Item 47 of 1641937Edinburgh Dental Hospital and school  EdinburghScotlandProposed extension (executed 1952-54. The 1950s drawings differ from the pre-war appeal brochure)
Item 48 of 1641937Gribloch HouseKippen StirlingshireScotlandWorked in association with Perry Duncan
Item 49 of 1641937Gribloch House, garage and staff accommodationKippen StirlingshireScotland 
Item 50 of 1641937Gribloch House, LodgeKippen StirlingshireScotland 
Item 51 of 1641937Kirkcaldy Town HallKirkcaldy FifeScotlandCompetition design - placed 4th - commended
Item 52 of 1641937Quothquhan  LanarkshireScotland 
Item 53 of 1641937Scottish School of Art & IndustryKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 54 of 164c. 1937(?)129 Princes Street  EdinburghScotlandInternal staircase - date uncertain
Item 55 of 1641938Country House  GlasgowScotland 
Item 56 of 1641938Duddingston Parish Church, hallDuddingston EdinburghScotland 
Item 57 of 1641938Falkirk Royal Infirmary Nurses' HomeFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandWon competition but not built
Item 58 of 1641938Glasgow Empire Exhibition, country cottage and flat for the Council for Art & IndustryBellahouston GlasgowScotland 
Item 59 of 1641939HospitalLochart  Scotland 
Item 60 of 1641939West CourtLongniddry East LothianScotlandPrincipal architect
Item 61 of 1641940Fettes College, new hall and new chapel  EdinburghScotlandProposed new hall and new chapel
Item 62 of 1641945Bannerfield EstateSelkirk SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 63 of 164After 1945St Giles Cathedral, 94th (City of Edinburgh) HAA Regiment 2nd World War memorial  EdinburghScotland 
Item 64 of 1641946Bell's Brae HouseDean Village EdinburghScotlandRestoration and alterations
Item 65 of 1641947Enterprise Scotland 1947 Exhibition  EdinburghScotlandLayout architect
Item 66 of 1641947Glasgow University, Natural Philosophy Buildings  GlasgowScotlandExtension to N, for research and housing the synchrotron.
Item 67 of 1641948Housing estate, 14-20 Lower BurnmouthBurnmouth BerwickshireScotland 
Item 68 of 1641948Housing, 1-6 Harbour Court, Castle GateDunbar East LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 69 of 1641948Housing, 15A-15D Victoria Street and 8 Writer's CourtDunbar East LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 70 of 1641948Housing, 19A, 19B, 19C Victoria Street and 10, 12 Writer's CourtDunbar East LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 71 of 1641948Housing, Victoria PlaceDunbar East LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 72 of 1641949Housing Scheme, SheppertonSunbury-on-Thames MiddlesexEngland 
Item 73 of 164c. 1949Rossie PrioryInchture PerthshireScotlandMain part of house demolished and plinth courses converted to terrace
Item 74 of 1641950s(?)Daniel Stewart's Hospital  EdinburghScotlandCeiling decoration in library
Item 75 of 1641950Crawford's Snack Bar interior, Queensferry Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 76 of 1641950John Smith (Wools)  EdinburghScotland 
Item 77 of 1641950Premises for R S Robertson & Scott   Scotland 
Item 78 of 1641950SAI (Scottish Agricultural Industries) offices  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction?
Item 79 of 1641950Scottish Agricultural IndustriesAyr AyrshireScotlandAmenities block and other work
Item 80 of 1641950Secondary School, DuncanrigWestwood, East Kilbride LanarkshireScotland 
Item 81 of 1641951Coventry CathedralCoventry WarwickshireEnglandSpence won the competition to design Coventry's new cathedral in 1951, grafting his design onto the remains of the bombed-out original.
Item 82 of 1641951Festival of Britain Scotland, Exhibition of Industrial Power, Kelvin Hall  GlasgowScotland 
Item 83 of 1641951Festival of Britain, Sea and Ships SectionSouth Bank LondonEngland 
Item 84 of 1641951The CottageLongniddry East LothianScotland 
Item 85 of 1641951The HermitagePerth PerthshireScotlandAlterations
Item 86 of 164After 1951Private house(s)Bedale YorkshireScotlandUnclear whether Spence was involved or whether Ferguson was wholly responsible
Item 87 of 164After 1951Private house(s)Ormiston East LothianScotlandUnclear whether Spence was involved or whether Ferguson was wholly responsible
Item 88 of 164Before 1951Fishermen's Cottages, DunbarDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 89 of 1641952Scottish School of Art & IndustryKilsyth StirlingshireScotlandCompletion of project
Item 90 of 1641952The Albyn  Edinburgh  
Item 91 of 1641952Two private houses  EdinburghScotland 
Item 92 of 1641953Council housesDunbar East LothianScotlandImplemented reduced scheme
Item 93 of 1641953Housing, Buncles Court and Lamer StreetDunbar East LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 94 of 1641953(?)Plewlands HouseSouth Queensferry West LothianScotlandRestored and converted to houses
Item 95 of 1641954Inch Hall ChurchInch EdinburghScotland 
Item 96 of 1641954St Andrew's ChurchClermiston EdinburghScotland 
Item 97 of 1641955Scottish Agricultural Industries Fertilizer WorksLeith Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandIn consultation with Kinnear & Gordon
Item 98 of 1641956Flats, Great Michael Rise and AnnfieldNewhaven EdinburghScotland 
Item 99 of 1641956Housing, Laverockbank Avenue and Laverockbank CrescentNewhaven EdinburghScotland 
Item 100 of 1641956Tenement blocks, New LaneNewhaven EdinburghScotland 
Item 101 of 1641956Tenements, 14-20 Great Michael RiseNewhaven EdinburghScotland 
Item 102 of 1641956Tenements, 4-12 Great Michael RiseNewhaven EdinburghScotland 
Item 103 of 1641956Tenements, New LaneNewhaven EdinburghScotland 
Item 104 of 1641956Western General Hospital, Old Boiler House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 105 of 1641957Claremont Court housing  EdinburghScotland 
Item 106 of 1641957George Watson's School, head masters house  EdinburghScotland 
Item 107 of 1641957Trinity College GlenalmondGlenalmond PerthshireScotlandExtension at E end of N range
Item 108 of 1641958Glasgow University, Institute of Virology Department building  GlasgowScotland 
Item 109 of 1641958Hutchesontown / Gorbals Area C Housing RedevelopmentHutchesontown/Gorbals GlasgowScotland 
Item 110 of 1641958Queens' College on the Backs  Cambridge, CambridgeshireEngland 
Item 111 of 1641958Scottish Widows Head Office  EdinburghScotland 
Item 112 of 1641958Thurso High SchoolThurso CaithnessScotland 
Item 113 of 1641959Glasgow University, Natural Philosophy Buildings  GlasgowScotlandW, for teaching and lecture theatre.
Item 114 of 1641959Hampstead Civic CentreHampstead LondonEngland 
Item 115 of 1641959House at Oxlease EstateHatfield HertfordshireEngland 
Item 116 of 1641959Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Station  SnowdoniaWalesconsultant architect
Item 117 of 1641959University of Edinburgh, George Square Redevelopment  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandConsultant architect to University
Item 118 of 1641959Western General Hospital, Operating Theatre Block  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotland 
Item 119 of 164Early 1950sSS Ninian, Martin and John RC ChurchWhithorn WigtownshireScotlandPrepared design - not executed. Commission went to Goodhart-Rendel.
Item 120 of 164Late 1950s(?)Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, blood transfusion extension  EdinburghScotland 
Item 121 of 1641960sDurham University, St Aidan's CollegeDurham Co. DurhamEngland 
Item 122 of 1641960sEdinburgh University Library  EdinburghScotland 
Item 123 of 1641960sICI Silicones FactoryArdeer AyrshireScotland 
Item 124 of 1641960sKing's College, University of Durham, Physics Department  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 125 of 1641960sNewcastle Central Library and Laing Art Gallery  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 126 of 1641960sProcter & Gamble computer building     
Item 127 of 1641960sSecondary SchoolDinnington SheffieldEngland 
Item 128 of 1641960sUniversity College Dublin library  DublinEire 
Item 129 of 1641960RHS Ingliston showground, Yorkshire Insurance StandIngliston EdinburghScotland 
Item 130 of 1641960Royal Showground Stoneleigh, Yorkshire Insurance StandStoneleigh WarwickshireEngland 
Item 131 of 1641960Trinity College Glenalmond, Reid's HouseGlenalmond PerthshireScotland 
Item 132 of 164After 1960King's College, University of Durham, Research Block  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 133 of 164Before 1960Associated Electrical Industries showroom  GlasgowScotland 
Item 134 of 164Before 1960House for A H Alexander  EdinburghScotland 
Item 135 of 164Before 1960Recreation centre for Scottish OilsGrangemouth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 136 of 164Before 1960Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society branch  EdinburghScotland 
Item 137 of 164Before 1960University of Edinburgh, Department of Natural Philosophy  EdinburghScotlandExtension
Item 138 of 164Before 1960University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Animal Breeding Research Organisation Headquarters  EdinburghScotlandWilliam Norman Hunter was job architect
Item 139 of 164196165-71 and 97-103 Canongate and 1-3 Brown's Close  EdinburghScotland 
Item 140 of 1641961Glasgow (Abbotsinch) Airportnr Paisley RenfrewshireScotland£2m terminal building
Item 141 of 1641961RIBA-Ideal Home House CompetitionHarlow and Stockport  Englandassessor
Item 142 of 1641961Sussex University Halls of Residence  SussexEngland 
Item 143 of 1641961Ten (10) 19-storey tower blocks, New GorbalsNew Gorbals GlasgowScotland 
Item 144 of 1641961Trinity College Glenalmond, SanatoriumGlenalmond PerthshireScotlandAltered and extended
Item 145 of 1641961University of Glasgow, Department of Genetics  GlasgowScotland 
Item 146 of 1641962Trinity College Glenalmond, ChapelGlenalmond PerthshireScotlandNew gallery and screen
Item 147 of 1641964Crookfur Old People's Homes, Crookfur RoadNewton Mearns RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 148 of 1641964Mortonhall Crematorium  EdinburghScotland 
Item 149 of 1641965British Pavilion, Expo '67  MontrealCanada 
Item 150 of 1641966Glasgow University, Natural Philosophy Buildings  GlasgowScotlandFurther additions
Item 151 of 1641966University of Edinburgh, James Clerk Maxwell BuildingThe King's Buildings EdinburghScotland 
Item 152 of 1641966Western General Hospital, laundry and boiler house  EdinburghScotland 
Item 153 of 1641968Bar and Buffet Extension at Glasgow (Abbotsinch) AirportAbbotsinch GlasgowScotland 
Item 154 of 1641970sAston University Library  BirminghamEngland 
Item 155 of 1641970sEdinburgh Centre for Rural Economy, Bush Estate  EdinburghScotland 
Item 156 of 1641970sHarry Younger Hall  EdinburghScotland 
Item 157 of 1641970sWestern General Hospital, Sisters' Quarters  EdinburghScotlandAlterations
Item 158 of 164c. 1970Burrell Collection  GlasgowScotlandCompetition design
Item 159 of 1641972Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Head Office  EdinburghScotland 
Item 160 of 164Before 1975Sydney Jones Library, University of Liverpool  LiverpoolEngland 
Item 161 of 1641976National Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh West End  EdinburghScotlandNew bank encapsulating old building.
Item 162 of 1641981Aston University, management centre  BirminghamEngland 
Item 163 of 164Before 1981Project for oil refineryInvergordon Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 164 of 164Before 1981University of Newcastle, Departments of Mining and Geology  Newcastle-upon-TyneEnglandPerhaps not involved depending on date.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 16Beauty's Awakening Beauty's Awakening: The Centenary Exhibition of the Art Workers' Guild Brighton Museum September -November 1984, Royal Pavilion Brighton 
Item 2 of 16Campbell, Colin1977Sir Basil Spence: an architect's appreciationSpring 1977Scottish Review 
Item 3 of 16Campbell, Louise1996Coventry Cathedral: Art and Architecture in Post-War Britain Clarendon Studies in the History of Art 
Item 4 of 16Gibberd, Frank1977Obituary: Sir Basil Spence: 1907-1976April 1977Architectural Review 
Item 5 of 16Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press LtdpXI A 1958 sketch perspective of Hutchesontown / Gorbals Area 'C' proposed blocks
pXII Demolition of Hutchesontown 'C' September 1993
p1 Night view of the Glasgow Empire Exhibtion - from brochure. ICI Pavilion
p5 Coventry Cathedral
p10 Image of Thomas Whalen's 'Coal Cliff' relief for the 1951 Exhibition of Industrial Power
p12 Site plan and perspective of Timber Housing, Lanarkshire
p14 Harbour Court Housing, Dunbar
pp38, 96, 98, 162 Mortonhall Crematorium
p92-102
p141-2, p165-7 Edinburgh University Library
p20, p39, p92-4, p98-102, p144-7 Hutchesontown C
Item 6 of 16Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan1994Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Yale University Press: New Haven and LondonHutchesontown Area C: p170, p224, p327, p368
Item 7 of 16Grove Dictionary of Art Grove Dictionary of Art  Entry by Louise Campbell
Item 8 of 16http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/122525/details/edinburgh+george+square+univ http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/122525/details/edinburgh+george+square+university+of+edinburgh+library/  Edinburgh University Library
Accessed 21.04.12
Item 9 of 16http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/arthistory/research/basil_spence/  http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/arthistory/research/basil_spence/    
Item 10 of 16New DNB New Dictionary of National Biography  Entry by Brian Edwards
Item 11 of 16Placzek, Adolf K (ed)1982Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects New York: The Free Press/Macmillan Publishing CompanyEntry by Louise Campbell
Item 12 of 16RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 13 of 16Sheppard, Richard1977Obituary: Sir Basil SpenceJanuaryRIBA Journal 
Item 14 of 16Spence, Basil1962Phoenix at Coventry Geoffrey Bles 
Item 15 of 16Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p34
Item 16 of 16Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p8, p10 Fishermen's Houses
p14, p38-41 Mortonhall Crematorium
p46-7 Edinburgh University Library
p60-1 Scottish Widows

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architect:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 19Builder17 September 1948  p329
Item 2 of 19Builder8 December 1950  p617
Item 3 of 19Builder11 May 1951  p654 [images of Festival of Britain pavilion model]
Item 4 of 19Builder18 May 1951  p691-3
Item 5 of 19Builder24 August 1951  p237-43
Item 6 of 19Builder7 September 1951  p336-7 [Recount of Spence's ideas on a 'new architecture']
Item 7 of 19Builder19 September 1952  p394-395
Item 8 of 19Builder5 December 1952  p852 (Spence's views on the Hydro-Electric Board's dams in north of Scotland, and his appreciation of civil engineering)
Item 9 of 19Builder1 May 1953  p670-671, 677-679
Item 10 of 19Builder28 August 1953  p306 - fund-raising trip to Canada for Coventry Cathedral
Item 11 of 19Builder4 December 1953  p869 - details ongoing success of Canadian fund-raising trip
Item 12 of 19Builder15 February 1954  p250 - Spence's criticism of work submitted for RIBA prizes, 1954
Item 13 of 19Builder10 April 1959  'Edinburgh Architectural Association: An Excellent Year Book' p679
Item 14 of 19Builder29 September 1961  'Competitions Open' p571 - assessor for Ideal Home/RIBA Group Housing competition
Item 15 of 19Builder6 October 1961  'Competition News: Housing Group Design' p628 - mention of Ideal Home/RIBA competition
Item 16 of 19Builder8 December 1961  'Competition News: RIBA-Ideal Home House Competition' p1081
Item 17 of 19Scotsman10 February 1999  p20 - piece on RCAHMS' Spence Archive project, with criticism of Hutchesontown scheme
Item 18 of 19The Independent8 September 1993  p13 - 'Great ocean liners that ran aground' (piece on Spence and Hutchesontown C by Brian Edwards)
Item 19 of 19The Times20 November 1976  Obituary (see also other major newspapers of this date)

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no5162 (stored under F4253, combined box 3); F no 4253 (combined box 3)
Item 2 of 2Sent to DSA by emailInformation from AHRC/RCAHMS Spence project per David W Walker and Clive Fenton Information from Clive B Fenton and David W Walker

Images

© All rights reserved. © Scottish National Portrait Gallery / The Artist 

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